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Annabelle didn't know much about Sarah Cameron. They had only spoken a handful of times, mostly brief exchanges at the Boneyard—small talk that never lasted long. But if Kiara's words were anything to go by, Sarah Cameron was practically the devil in Prada shoes and expensive jewelry.

Now, she was sitting right in front of her.

Sarah's rich perfume clashed with the salty air, and her pristine clothes stood out like a sore thumb against the worn-down porch and the faded, slightly musty couch she now occupied. Her perfectly manicured toenails looked out of place against the rough wooden boards.

Annabelle wasn't pleased with her presence.

She didn't want a kook tangled up in this. Their mission was already complicated enough without Rafe Cameron's sister suddenly joining the mix. The fact that Sarah was now involved—when Annabelle hadn't even told Rafe about any of it—made her stomach twist uncomfortably.

Leaning against the porch doorframe, Annabelle kept her gaze fixed on Sarah. She hated how easily the blonde seemed to settle in, like she belonged here.

Kiara wasn't nearly as quiet about it.

"No effing way!" Kiara snapped, pacing the length of the porch like a caged animal. "You brought her here? So what? She's in on this now?" Her voice dripped with disgust.

John B swallowed hard, glancing between his friends. This wasn't exactly how he had planned to introduce Sarah to the group.

"I dunno," Pope shrugged, looking uncomfortable.

John B shot him a desperate look, but it was JJ who spoke next.

"Look, all I care about is that her cut comes out of your shar—"

"She's not getting a cut!" Kiara cut him off sharply, eyes blazing. "I don't remember taking a vote on this." She turned on John B, voice thick with betrayal. "This is our thing. A pogue thing."

John B opened his mouth, but Annabelle beat him to it.

"She's right," she said, her voice calmer but firm.

Before he could argue, Pope piped up. "I gotta say, I'm just a tad uncomfortable with all of this."

John B scoffed. "When are you not?"

"I don't know! I rode here on the back of JJ's bike pretty comfortably!" Pope defended himself.

"It's true," JJ nodded. "Most relaxed I've ever seen him."

John B let out a long, exhausted sigh. "That's cute, guys."

Kiara crossed her arms. "You know, we were all extremely comfortable until you brought her."

"Stop talking about me like I'm not here!" Sarah spoke up

"Then leave," Kiara shot back.

Sarah scoffed, turning to John B. "I told you."

"Told him what, exactly?" Kiara demanded, eyes narrowing. "That you're a liar?"

"No," Sarah countered, voice sharp. "That you're a shit-talking bitch." Annabelle instinctively stepped forward as the boys let out a collective ooohhh, enjoying the show.

"Don't go there," Annabelle warned, her voice low. "Remember, you're still in enemy territory, princess."

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught JJ and Pope exchanging money, placing quiet bets on the girls.

Sarah's brows furrowed. "Are you threatening me?"

"Yeah, she is," Kiara chimed in before Annabelle could answer. "Because this is what you do, Sarah. You get close to people and you—"

"I didn't lie about shit!" Sarah snapped, her voice rising.

"Everybody shut up!" John B's voice cut through the argument like a knife. Annabelle exhaled sharply, turning away from the group. The whole situation was already giving her a migraine.

John B ran a hand through his hair, looking between them. "Kie, you're my best friend, right?"

Kiara pressed her lips together but nodded.

Then John B turned to Sarah, a small, lopsided grin creeping onto his face. "And Sarah, you're..." He trailed off with a chuckle.

Sarah tilted her head slightly, her voice softer. "Say it."

"You're my girlfriend."

John B said it with a grin, and Sarah mirrored it, the two of them looking at each other like no one else existed.

Annabelle groaned under her breath, rolling her eyes. "Oh, vomit."

Kiara, on the other hand, wasn't so subtle. She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "She's your girlfriend now?" Her voice dripped with disbelief. "What happened to all that talk about just using her for information?"

"Kiara—" Annabelle exhaled sharply, shooting her a pointed look. She didn't like Sarah being here either, but if this was what made John B happy, what was the point in trying to wreck it?

Kiara ignored her. "What?" She shrugged. "That's what he said, didn't he? Get a map, cut her loose."

The air on the porch thickened, the weight of her words settling over them. Annabelle quietly sank down on one of the small stools, her long exhale cutting through the silence.

Sarah slowly turned to John B, her brows knitted together. "You said you were using me?"

John B shook his head quickly. "No."

"Yeah, you did." Pope chimed in, only to earn a sharp glare from Annabelle.

John B leaned forward, scrambling for an explanation. "Look, love just walked in, okay?"

"Ew," Kiara deadpanned.

"I didn't expect it," John B continued. "It just—it kind of happened. And I'm not gonna deny it."

"Oh, that's corny," Pope muttered.

"Cut the bullshit, John B," she snapped. "If she's in, I'm out."

John B sighed heavily, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. "I'm not doing this. I can't."

Kiara's jaw tightened. "You are gonna decide." Her voice was firm, unyielding. "I'm very interested, actually. Me or her?"

John B hesitated, glancing between them. Finally, he shrugged. "Both."

A sharp whistle cut through the tension. "Went for the Hail Mary," JJ muttered under his breath.

Annabelle sat with her arms crossed, watching the scene of betrayal unfold in front of her. Kiara didn't wait for another word. She spun on her heel and stormed outside, shoving the porch door open so hard it slammed against the frame.

Annabelle narrowed her eyes at John B. "Great work."

Without another glance at the group, she turned and hurried after Kiara, catching up just as she stormed across the backyard toward the dock.

"Kie, wait!" Annabelle called, but the other girl didn't stop, her anger carrying her forward. Annabelle sighed and followed. Kiara sank down by the edge of the dock, her chest heaving. The James girl slid down next to her with a slight distance between the two knowing that Kiara wanted her space in vulnerable situations like this, even with her best friend.

"I hate him," The girl swallowed, trying to suppress the tears that were creeping up into her sight.

"I know," Annabelle breathed.

"Just because I know how this ends. I've seen this movie." Kiara's voice shook at the weight of trying to hold back her tears. "I starred in it. I mean, freshman year, it was my first year at the Kook Academy. You know how intimidating that is?"

"A school full of teenage snobs. Can't imagine anything worse." Annabelle said, watching the girl closely as she spoke.

"I didn't have anything in common with anyone, and just as I'm about to slit my wrists, the queen asks me if I wanna go save baby sea turtles." Kiara let out a humorless chuckle, transforming into a sob. "Our first day together we walked on the beach. We waited for the hatch and we kept the seagulls off so that the turtles could get to the water."

Annabelle smiled. Kiara and she had done that a billion times over the years and it was rather sweet hearing about where the idea came from since the girl never spoke much about her kook years. "That sounds sweet."

"It was one of the best days of my life," Kiara said before a sob left her lips. "And then she turned on me like she does with everyone."

Annabelle edged closer, gently placing her arm around the girl.

"Look, I'm not doing this with her," Kiara said firmly.

"Then I'm not either. It's her or you and me." Annabelle spoke. "No you, no me. I mean come on, were a package deal, Kie."

•❃°•°❀°•°❃•

Annabelle returned to the fancy neighborhood that now apparently was hers. It was strange. She felt completely out of place surrounded by the large mansions and fancy cars by the driveways.

The sun had begun to set, making it easy for Annabelle to slip through the backyard of the house and through the back door without being seen by the neighbors. She had been trying to get a hold of Rafe for the past hours, calling and texting him without gaining a single response. She couldn't deny that she was growing worried- worried that maybe Sarah had told him about their mission.

Annabelle walked through the library in the house, tall shelves stocked with various books stretched all the way up to the ceiling. The air in the room was fresh but woody, refreshing in the house that constantly smelled like vanilla.

The girl picked one of the million books in the library that she wanted to read and slumped down into one of the beige armchairs, too scared to sit on the white couch. The girl was exhausted after the long day so it didn't take long before she fell asleep with the book in her hands.

Annabelle was abruptly awoken, not long after falling asleep, by the front door shutting harshly. She sprung up to a stance, her heart beating rapidly against her ribs.

Rafe stormed into the door and the girl was just about to let out a relieved sigh when she saw the furious expression on his face. As if she was barely there, Rafe marched past her and sat down on the couch where he began to pull out a small plastic back of white powder, pouring it out on the almost glimmering spotless glass coffee table. Annabelle watched him silently with her breath in her throat.

The boy rolled up a twenty, spreading the powder with the edge of a card, his hands moving faster than usual—too fast, like even this, his ritual, wasn't quick enough. Annabelle swallowed hard at the sight. He bent over, inhaled sharply, and when he straightened, he tilted his head back, eyes closed.

Annabelle slowly approached the couch, almost as if making her presence known. "Rafe?"

The boy didn't say anything, instead, he just dragged a hand through his hair as he leaned back into the couch. However, he looked everything but comfortable in his seat, rather stiff and anxious making Annabelle's chest tighten with worry.

"Rafe, where have you been I've been trying to reach you." Annabelle lowered herself onto the couch and almost as if in a chain reaction, the Cameron boy shot out of it, shooting up into a stance. The girl's brows knitted together, scanning him as he paced across the room and then back.

"What happened? Rafe?" Annabelle shifted in her seat, an unsettling feeling creeping up her back. "What's going on? Are you okay?"

Rafe let out a stained groan, his thumbs against his face almost as if covering it. His jaw tensed like he was holding back words too big for his mouth. Annabelle eased to her feet and slowly approached him. "Rafe... talk to me."

"Fucking—" He broke off, running a hand through his hair again. "I can't—" His voice cracked, rough with something that didn't match the high. His hands were shaking with the force of trying to contain his rage, trying not to let it slip and make him take it out on the girl before him.

He quickly passed her, his mouth twitching as he was losing whatever inner battle he was going through. He paced across the room, his chest heaving before he snapped, collapsing into the armchair with his elbows to his knees, his face in his hands as he rocked back and forth.

Annabelle kneeled down in front of him, hesitating before carefully placing her hand on his leg as if the touch would make him explode again. "Rafe... what's going on."

"Dad, fucking-" He drew a harsh breath before letting out what almost sounded like a chuckle. "He kicked me out."

Annabelle froze at his words, her finger tightening around his knee. She exhaled deeply, the weight of his words attaching to her shoulders. "What? Why-"

"It doesn't matter why." He slumped in his seat, rubbing his face with his hands. "Fucking Barry..." He muttered and Annabelle quickly understood that whatever was going on was probably because of the money that the boy had owed Barry. She let out a quiet breath, her thumbs brushing over his knees carefully.

Rafe's chest heaved as he attempted to gather himself. The drugs were settling over him but it still wasn't enough. His fingers curled into fists as they rested on his face, not wanting Annabelle to see him fully in this vulnerable moment.

"I fucking can't believe- h- he... "The boy huffed.

Annabelle watching him closely. His jaw tightened, his hands shaking slightly on his face and his chest rising and falling rapidly. "Hey, hey..." She whispered, her voice calming. "You're okay."

She carefully wrapped her hands around his. The boy flinched just slightly before she pulled them down to his lap, her concerned eyes scanning his face. His features were tight and his eyes dark. Annabelle ran her thumbs over his skin, her touch featherlight, her hands warm—a stark contrast to the storm raging inside him. Her touch slowly made his shoulders drop and his jaw relax. He sucked in a deep breath, his fingers wrapping around the girls.

The boy leaned forward along with his stiff body easing into her and he leaned his forehead against Annabelles as he took several deep breaths. He shut his eyes, the tension in his body running off him.

A moment of silence passed while Rafe caught his breath, letting it fan over her face. "You're the only good thing that I have left," He mumbled and squeezed her hands carefully. "Don't ever leave me."

𝟐𝟑𝟑𝟓 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬
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𝐀/𝐍
Sarah and Annabelle will be besties trust